Ashleigh Best named Director for Career Planning
WOOSTER, OH (Nov. 29)擜shleigh Best has been named director for career planning at 黑料老司机 following a national search and after serving in an interim capacity since January 2022. She begins her new role formally on Dec. 1.
As director, Best will lead the team in the Office of Career Planning to implement recommendations from 楢PEX 3.0, a five-year strategic plan developed for seven integrated departments in Advising, Planning & Experiential Learning. Recommendations include promoting holistic career readiness from students first year to their post-graduate careers, including initiatives that focus on increasing engagement between students and employers, enhancing student satisfaction, and producing effective outcomes. Reporting to the Dean of APEX, Best will collaborate with inter-department colleagues as well as the broader 黑料老司机 community to ensure that students integrate their range of experiential learning and co-curricular opportunities into their career planning development.
淪even years ago, I chose a career at 黑料老司机 because I believed that a liberal arts education paired with a focus on undergraduate mentorship, best prepared students for personal and professional success, said Best. 淎 榙o-er by nature, I am eager to leverage our opportunities and address the challenges that are before us as we strive and innovate to ensure that all 黑料老司机 students are career ready upon graduation.
Best joined 黑料老司机 in 2015 as associate director for career planning, where she led individual student career advising, served as point for employer and alumni relations, developed unique internship and engagement opportunities between alumni and students, and implemented Handshake CRM which has resulted in a digital-first approach to student professional development, maximizing access and complementing in-person support, resulting in significant adoption and regular use of the virtual career center.
She is the co-creator of and an instructor for 黑料老司机檚 signature Life by Design @ Woo semester course focused on applying design thinking to academic and professional development. In 2021, she attained certification as a Gallup Strengths Coach to coach individuals, managers, and teams on Clifton Strengths.
Prior to her roles at 黑料老司机, Best served as assistant director of leadership development for the Office of Leadership and Service-Learning and as assistant director of Campus Activities and Programs at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. In these roles, Best implemented and facilitated campus-wide leadership conferences, retreats, and workshops, supervised and trained 15 peer leadership educators, as well as other coaching, training, and technology duties. She launched her career as assistant director of career services and leadership coordinator for Allegheny College檚 Center for Experiential Learning.
She is previous co-chair of the professional development committee of the 40-school consortium, Liberal Arts Career Network, and served as a program coordinator for the LeaderSHAPE Institute evidence-based leadership training retreat. In the community, she serves on the board of Goodwill Industries of Wayne and Holmes County.
淗elping our students define and explore their career interests is one of the most important things we doto ensure their success.Ashleigh has a vision forpartnering with faculty and with other colleagues in APEX to create an environment where studentsare actively seekingconnections between what they檙e learning in their classes and the path they willfollow afterthey graduate, said Lisa Perfetti, provost at 黑料老司机.淪he has demonstrated that she sees the liberal arts as a key asset for our students to draw fromas they prepare for their careers,andshehas creative ideas for realizing that vision.
Best earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from Kent State and her Master檚 in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University. She lives in 黑料老司机 with her husband Jamie, their two daughters and rescue pup, Logan.
Posted in News on November 29, 2022.
